Horror Week 2: South East Asia
Before I begin, I would like to first note that SE Asia is one of the most diverse regions in the world with many geographical and cultural divisions. There are nations and territories that are historically contested. For example, Taiwan and Hong Kong are sometimes added to the list, but both have a long and complicated history with China.
All this to say, I am no expert on the political relationships between East and SE Asian countries. The lines are blurry for me.
For the purposes of this project, I will go by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) list.
I tried to keep the list as varied as possible, but it is not a complete sampling.
I think context is important in this case. At one time or another, every state within the region was invaded or colonized by China, India, Japan, or a Western country — the Philippines were not recognized as an independent nation by the US until 1946. Apart from native religions, the region is highly influenced by Islam and Buddhism. All this variation is a huge influence on the storyteller’s perspective, but there are some similarities…
They almost always involve shamanistic practices, and — in my experience —they have always been a ghost or possession story. Often the main character is forced to return to their birth place, or the village of their ancestors, to enact a ritual or end a curse.
Curses play a huge role in SE Asian horror. The main character is often strung along by the actions of their parents or the envious eye of a neighbor. Lesser known gods and demons are often used for mischief or malicious intent.
Returning to the village, to the dense jungle, the protagonist believes that they have some control of their destiny, but we quickly realize that fate is fixed.
There is a richness to this kind of horror, and it places emphasis on family and tradition; though, it is often to the detriment of our character.
The Medium (2021) Thailand
Impetigore (2019) Indonesia
Eerie (2018) Philippines
Satan’s Slaves (2017) Indonesia
May the Devil Take You (2018) Indonesia
Roh (2019) Malaysia
Tiger Stripes (2023) Singapore